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Griffin looks to pile up innings for A's staff

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Modified: February 17, 2014 at 7:33 pm •
Published: February 17, 2014

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PHOENIX (AP) — Despite getting hurt late last season, A.J. Griffin has already shown he can handle a heavy workload for the Oakland Athletics.

Oakland Athletics pitcher Sean Doolittle, left, talks with pitcher A.J. Griffin during spring training baseball practice on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2014, in Scottsdale, Ariz. Doolittle is scheduled to be held out of bullpen sessions for few days because of a right calf strain, according to Athletics manager Bob Melvin. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Now, he wants to keep pitching deep into October.

The 26-year-old right-hander threw 200 innings in 2013, his first full season in the majors. He went 14-10 with a 3.83 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 32 starts as Oakland won its second straight AL West title.

Griffin was durable until late in the season, when he was unable to pitch in the playoffs against Detroit due to tendinitis in his right elbow. Had the A's reached the AL championship series, he thinks he would have recovered sufficiently to be added to the active roster.

"We were really close. I thought for sure we were going to get there," Griffin said.

This year, Griffin again has a firm grip on a spot in manager Bob Melvin's rotation. He threw his second bullpen of the spring Monday and said he feels no discomfort.

"I felt really good today. I'm optimistic," said Griffin, a 13th-round draft pick by the A's in 2010 out of the University of San Diego. "It's a gradual buildup. You raise your pitch count. It's a process."

He would like to reach 200 innings again.

"That's pretty much every starter's goal, to pitch as many innings as they can and have a quality outing," he said. "Last year was pretty nice, my first full season, to pitch as many innings as I did. I felt fortunate."

Griffin has four quality pitches: a four-seam fastball, curve, changeup and cutter.

"I'm a guy who adds and subtracts, hits his spots, pounds the zone. You want to try to force the early contact, let your defense work for you," he said.

But not too much contact. Griffin gave up 36 home runs last season, tops in the majors.